How do alliteration, consonance and assonance create movement in the poem?

Understanding the Devices

Before analyzing their effect on movement, it’s crucial to define each device:

• Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the *beginning* of words that are close together. For example, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
• Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words, not necessarily at the beginning. For example, “pitter patter” or “stroke of luck.”
• Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words that are close together. For example, “fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese.”

How Each Device Creates Movement

Alliteration and Movement

Alliteration often creates a sense of quick, energetic movement. The repeated initial consonant sounds can mimic the sound of something rushing or repeating. Consider the opening lines of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”: “The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.” The repetition of the ‘f’ sound evokes the swiftness of the wind and the spray of the sea, immediately establishing a dynamic scene. The sharp, percussive quality of the alliteration propels the reader forward.

Consonance and Movement

Consonance, unlike alliteration, tends to create a more subtle, internal rhythm. It doesn’t necessarily suggest speed but rather a sustained, flowing movement. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Eagle,” the line “And the thunder of his wings” uses consonance with the repeated ‘n’ sound, creating a sense of powerful, resonating movement. The sound isn’t as abrupt as alliteration; it’s a deeper, more sustained vibration. Consonance can also create a sense of echoing or reverberation, suggesting movement that continues even after the initial sound has faded.

Assonance and Movement

Assonance is particularly effective at creating a sense of fluidity and smoothness. The repetition of vowel sounds can mimic the flow of water, the rustling of leaves, or the gentle swaying of branches. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” the repeated ‘o’ sound in lines like “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary” creates a melancholic, drawn-out rhythm that mirrors the speaker’s slow descent into despair. The long vowel sounds contribute to a feeling of languid, almost hypnotic movement. Assonance can also create a sense of internal rhyme, linking words and phrases and creating a cohesive flow.

Comparative Analysis & Combined Effects

Often, these devices work in combination to create a more complex and nuanced sense of movement. Consider the following example:

“Swiftly, silently, the shadows slid.”

Here, alliteration (“swiftly, silently”) creates a sense of quickness, while assonance (“swiftly, silently”) adds a smoothness and fluidity to the movement. The ‘s’ sound, repeated through both devices, further enhances the sense of stealth and gliding motion. The interplay of these sounds creates a richer, more evocative experience than any single device could achieve alone.

Furthermore, the *placement* of these sounds within the poem is crucial. A concentration of these devices at the beginning of a stanza can create a burst of energy, while their more subtle use throughout a poem can create a sustained sense of momentum. The poet’s deliberate choice of sounds and their arrangement is key to controlling the poem’s rhythm and pace.

Device	Effect on Movement	Example
Alliteration	Quick, energetic, abrupt	“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew” (Coleridge)
Consonance	Sustained, flowing, resonating	“And the thunder of his wings” (Tennyson)
Assonance	Fluid, smooth, languid	“Once upon a midnight dreary…” (Poe)